Houllier hails his Owen red star after Russian blitz

GERARD HOULLIER hailed his ‘‘special star’’ in Michael Owen after the England hot-shot bagged a crucial hat-trick in the freezing Russian capital.

Owen, rested on Saturday when Liverpool went top of the Premiership, had Liverpool on top of the world with an excellent Champions League treble.

“Michael deserves special credit for his hat-trick, to do that away from home in Europe is a special achievement,” Houllier said.